Online job applications

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Do you dislike filling out job applications online that require you to create a profile, username, password, ect? For me I have always disliked these kind of job applications compared to going into an office and filling out an application in person. I find online applications to be more difficult and time consuming but maybe it's just me. What's your opinion on filling out applications online compared to other means? What are the things you dislike about it?

Last edited by infilove on 25 May 2014, 9:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I absolutely despise online application, primarily because their AI engines are set in such a way to rule out candidates that may not fit the criteria for any position of a company. It goes back to the old HR mantra, "When in doubt, weed them out!"

I find the whole username and password thing to be pretty bothersome, yes.
But, due to my job security needs, I'm possibly going to apply to multiple jobs for the same really big company, so it saves me time.
I'm irritated by the smaller companies doing it, though, since it just means more work. ~shrugs~
In addition to the usual rigmarole, the jobs my husband was applying for (all customer service) also required all of these stupid personality or situational quizzes. Those things took FOREVER, he's dyslexic, so I ended up doing most of them for him, or he'd never finish.
That seems like a really lazy way to weed out candidates, but, I'm not the one doing the hiring, so, they might have proven reasons.


Just for perspective, though, my last employer had over 500 job openings at any given time, and only about 30 people to screen resumes, type in information from the paper forms and conduct interviews and background checks. They couldn't screen or interview anyone because of the constant walk-ins interrupting their work. They finally closed their office off to non-employees and went online application only. They didn't like it, but, having hundreds of apps for every opening was just not realistic to deal with in person.

Online applications are an abomination! I've never had anything good come of them (and trust me, I've filled out A LOOOOOTTTTTT of them). I honestly don't think anyone even looks at them, and if they do it's probably HR people who have no idea about the actual job you're applying for.

Every so often I find my self filling out one for a local walmart the managers I normally talk with ensure me that having past experience with the company is a plus as well as customer service experience is also a BIG plus which should put me head and shoulders above the rest however when I complete the online app I call the store within a week to find out that according to their system I'm not a match I understand their need to streamline things by using such a program I have had NO luck getting to the next step and it's not like I'm putting down I have Autism or I'm Autistic but high functioning where that would cast some doubt in a persons mind I just fill it out the best I can and I get shot down kinda discouraging same goes for Best Buy I know about Televisions in and out I know what's on the forefront and I know how to make the pitches but again their system kicks me out I'm beginning to thing that there's no hope for me finding a stable job that pays and offers some type of benefits

There's plenty of hope if you can get around their silly application systems, and actually get a living, breathing person to consider your credentials

Well i've got a date set up with a local Vocab office in June so hopefully they will open some doors that would otherwise be closed to me tho in reality I'm thinking they are going to stick me with whatever "mcjob" they can find :-/ I have much more to offer then that but we'll see

We were hiring some temp student workers for the summer and we could not hire the perfect candidate because he did not get matched up by the computer because he did not technically meet the criteria 100%. Such total BS! I got weeded out by these f**ing things every single time without exception and only got hired where I am because I got lucky by saying the right buzzwords.

I'm also going to voc rehab.

as for being weeded out. yeah. I know two jobs my friends could have got me but the computer throws me away before it can get to them.

Yeah, that's tough. When I left my last job, I interviewed a candidate before leaving and thought she was a great fit. She got kicked out when formally applying because she didn't have a degree, BUT, DID have like 15 years experience and the right temperament. My old boss knew my feelings and agreed and argued with HR to go through, find her app and push it through to the next stage so he could interview her.

It wasn't as automated back when I started there. I interviewed with him first (based on a personal introduction) with no degree AND no experience, just the capacity and temperament they were looking for.

I THINK I should've gotten past the HR filters for my current job now that I've got a degree and experience, but, I don't know, it could've been the personal recommendation from the guy who told me about the gig. ~shrugs~

I don't like those and have never done one.

My mother wanted to apply for a job recently but didn't bother because they only accept online applications. My mother doesn't go online or have an e-mail address to use to make an account on the site which you had to do to apply. I don't know how she would do on the tests. I don't think they had those the last time she looked for a job.

Last time my Mom was laid off, she went to the unemployment office and they sat her down at a pc to fill out the paperwork and she burst into tears. She'd never touched a computer before and didn't know what to do.

I know she wasn't comfortable with it, but, no matter what non-computer using job she got, she'd never even have a chance to apply or get any unemployment benefits if she wasn't able to use one. When she told me about it, I went to the IT guys at work and bought her an old PC they were decommissioning and taught her how to use it. It wasn't easy, but, she eventually got the hang of it. She even got a wild idea and went to the community college for a class on photo editing, because then it gave her something specific to do with the computer.
Our local library had computer access so she could get online there and start a free email account and apply for jobs.
Now she works in a hotel and she does have to use a computer there sometimes, so she's happy she got comfortable with it.

My mother has a job now but was getting fed up with how they treat the workers there and was thinking of looking for a new one. After she couldn't apply at the one place I think she gave up and is going to try to stick it out there because she only has a couple of years to go until she can retire. She is almost as limited as I am in applying for jobs. Neither one of us have any education, a car, or a driver's license so we'd have to apply for crummy jobs that are within walking distance or on the bus line. The only thing she has that I don't is a work history. She worked pretty much steadily since I was a young teen and has never been fired from a job.

Right on. Yeah, my Mom's been caught up in a couple of layoffs or business closings, but, worked steadily and never lost a job. Best of luck to your mom either sticking it out or finding something where the workers are treated more respectfully.

The town my Mom lives in is pretty small, so, not many jobs, but, at least the library was within walking distance. I got out as soon as I turned 18 when my Grandpa bought me a car because he wanted me to go to college and there definitely weren't any in my little town.

My MIL still works in her 70's, but, just cause she likes people. But, she lives in London and they've got such great bus and train service that everyone takes them, even those who do drive. I told my husband I'd like to live in a more pedestrian friendly city with public transport, once the kids are older. We're stuck in the suburbs now, and, if you don't drive, you are really stuck stuck (seen a couple people who couldn't leave their spouses because they couldn't drive and go get a job to get their own place... really wish we had better access to transport in more areas of the country).

Yeah I have to say it is somewhat of an advantage when it's a company with several jobs, that you can quickly re-apply. However there's the possibility that the company may not consider you as a candidate for other positions if you they didn't consider you for one.

You have a point when it comes to companies that have several applicants a day. It would be hard having 100s of day, it would take a lot of work, time, and money.

I've actually had a couple of interviews from online job apps, in fact one two days ago, BUT I do agree, they seem to be far less.